Device for positioning and assembling successive frames

ABSTRACT

A device for positioning and assembling successive frames in a machine of a production line. The device is intended in particular for relative positioning of two adjacent frames, namely an upstream frame and a downstream frame. At least one link connects the upstream frame to the downstream frame and supports the upstream part of the downstream frame. The link comprises a cylinder that extends across the successive frames and is received in a bearing at each of the adjacent frames. A tightenable tension rod locks the selected relative positions of the successive frames.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a device for positioning and assemblingsuccessive frames, constituting a production line machine, wherein thedevice is used in particular for the relative positioning of twoadjacent frames.

Such machines comprised of several successive frames are commonly usedin the fields of the packaging and printing industries, in particularfor cardboard box converting and manufacturing. One will however notethat many production lines related to quite different technical fieldsalso require machines comprised of a plurality of units assembled andarranged one after another. These units can be stations in which varioussuccessive operations are carried out, relating to production,modification or conditioning of a product from its upstream infeed toits downstream delivery.

In order to describe in a practical manner the problem intended to besolved by the present invention, a rotary printing machine comprisingseveral printing units will be taken as an example of a productionmachine. Color printing of a cardboard sheet or a web material can beachieved from a printing line including at least three or four printingunits. Each unit deposits a primary color, namely the yellow, cyan andmagenta for a three-color printing.

Superimposing the colors enables, through many schemes and intensities,obtaining all natural tints. However, in order to obtain adequatequality printing, it is necessary to reach a perfect superimposition ofthe successive prints printed by each printing unit. In order to reachthat goal in the near future, one main objective consists in positioningthe frames of each unit to be related to another, in order to obtain,for example, as perfect alignment as possible.

Such frames are usually equipped with four feet, wherein each foot isarranged at a base plate angle. The feet are each mounted on a threadedrod so that the feet can be adjusted in their height independently ofone another. Such a system makes it possible to make the traveling planeof the sheet or the web material through the printing group entirelyhorizontal, when compensating, if necessary, surface evenness faults onwhich the printing unit lays.

The individual printing units are methodically positioned in line,starting from the last one. That positioning aims to achieve for eachprinting unit a traveling plane perfectly horizontal and aligned withrespect to the traveling planes of the adjacent upstream and downstreamunits. To perform the method, one uses a tended wire between one end andthe other end of the production line, to serve as a linear reference forthe lateral and angular alignment of the different frames as well as fora horizontal reference line. One also uses an air level, a compassequipped with a comparator as well as space bars.

Alignment operations are as follows: one will first of all arrange thelast frame parallel to the wire, at a certain distance from the wire.One will set the transverse level of the frame by means of an air levelarranged on an anvil roller of the printing unit. One will then set thelongitudinal level of each frame side. The perpendicularity of the framewith respect to the tended wire will be set by means of the compass andthe comparator. To perform the method, the one end compass is fastenedat the bottom of the frame into a bore with tight tolerance and which isprovided upstream of the printing unit. A comparator arranged at thesecond end enables reading a value related to the surface, which valuewill then be compared to a second value measured after a half-turnswiveling of the compass. The differences registered on the comparatorwill be corrected using screws at the frame feet. After successivestages, one should reach a perfect perpendicularity of the printingunit.

It is then advisable to settle the adjacent printing unit frame parallelto the tended wire, at the same distance from the wire as previously.The second printing unit will be set according to the previous one thathas been just set up. For that purpose, one will use a precision rulerprovided with a level that will be longitudinally laid on against theanvil rollers of both printing units. This operation will allow settingof the height of the second printing unit as compared to the previousone. It will be advisable to also set the space between both printingunits, which space must be precise and constant for all units. Thisoperation requires using reference space bars.

Once the settings of the second printing unit are achieved, it is stilladvisable to check the perpendicularity of the second unit with respectto the horizontality of the tended wire. That control is achieved usingthe compass and the comparator, as before. If the result should not besatisfactory, it would then be advisable to remove the space bars andcorrect the perpendicularity error. The levels will then have to berechecked.

After these operations, it will still be necessary to also deal with allother printing units. With four-color processes and/or printings usingspecial inks, such as silver or gold, it would be necessary to positionnot less than four, five or six printing units. The positioning of otherframes supporting stations needed for the functioning of such a printingline is also to be taken into account. Among those stations, one willinclude as examples the infeed station, the various intercalary dryingstations, the delivery station, etc. . . . Moreover, it may happen thata production line intended for printing is directly followed by a linefor converting the printed material. One realizes that such machines ormachine embodiments can include a huge amount of stations for which eachframe must be accurately positioned with respect to the others.

The time required for such a frame alignment is the main drawback ofcurrent methods. The duration delays the putting the production lineinto operation and also increases the machines installation cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to avoid the above drawbacks byproposing a device enabling simplifying the positioning of thesuccessive frames constituting a machine before its assembly. Moreover,the device should be simple to realize to obtain the benefit of a lowcost price and to lower as much as possible the global cost involved inthe installation of such a machine. The object of the invention shouldalso be implemented without requiring subsequent changes of the framepositioning. Lastly, the device of the invention should not be limitedto the positioning and assembly of frames according only to arectilinear alignment, but should also be entirely satisfactory wheninstalling a curved production line, for example, at right angle.

These aims are achieved owing to the present invention which is a devicefor positioning and assembling successive frames, in particular forpositioning frames constituting a production line of a productionmachine, according to the invention. The device is intended inparticular for relative positioning of two adjacent frames, namely anupstream frame and a downstream frame. At least one link connects theupstream frame to the downstream frame and supports the upstream part ofthe downstream frame. The link comprises a cylinder that extends acrossthe successive frames, and the cylinder is received in a bearing at eachof the adjacent frames. A tightenable tension rod locks the selectedrelative positions of the successive frames.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of the invention which refers tothe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more clearly understood from a preferredembodiment in a non-limitative example and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a machine comprising several frames;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a machine part including differentframes assembled and positioned according to the device of theinvention; and

FIG. 3 is a detail of a part of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a machine 1 on a production linecomprising a plurality of frames 2 successively arranged one after theother. Each frame 2 is intended for supporting a station or a workingunit in which at least one production line operation (not represented)is achieved on a product. The operations are methodically carried out,from upstream to downstream, sequentially in the direction shown byarrow 3. Each station could be a printing unit of a printing machine,for example. The operations could then relate to printing differentprimary colors used for proceeding to a color print of a web or sheetmaterial.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed diagrammatic view of a portion of machine 1,showing the positioning and assembling per pairs of three successiveframes 2, by means of a device 10, according to the present invention.The device 10 for positioning and assembling is always arranged at thejunction of two adjacent frames 2, here an upstream frame 2a and adownstream frame 2b. It will thus be advisable to provide n-1 devices 10for positioning and assembling n frames constituting a machine 1. Forsimplicity, only the first frame is entirely illustrated in FIG. 2,while the next two frames being only partly represented.

According to FIG. 2, the upstream frame 2 a is related to the firstframe 2 according to the direction of arrow 3. According to the arrow,the downstream frame 2 b is thus related to the adjacent frame followingthe upstream frame 2 a, i.e. in this example, the second frame 2. Togeneralize the various alternatives, one should understand that theupstream frame 2 a could also be any unspecified frame 2 of machine 1,except the last frame thereof.

The device 10 comprises one link 11 connecting the upstream frame 2 a tothe downstream frame 2 b. The link 11 is arranged in the downstream part20 b of the upstream frame 2 a and supports the upstream part 20 a ofthe downstream frame 2 b. The link preferably comprises a cylinder 12,which extends across direction 3, and is fixedly attached into bearings13 disposed above and below the cylinder. The bearings 13 areadvantageously located at both ends of the cylinder 12. However, it isalso possible to add one or several intermediate bearings intended tojointly support the weight of the cylinder 12 as well as the weight ofthe upstream part 20 a of the downstream frame 2 b. According to anotherembodiment, it could also be possible to provide a continuous supportagainst the whole length of the cylinder.

The link 11 is preferably arranged on the bisectrix of an angle issuedfrom two adjacent frames 2, namely the horizontal angle formed by theupstream frame 2 a and the downstream frame 2 b.

The frames 2 are usually rectilinearly positioned, so that the link ishere perpendicularly arranged with respect to the alignment. It canhowever happen that frames 2 of machine 1 are not all aligned accordingonly to a main longitudinal axis, but are curved at right angles, forexample. Such an installation will essentially depend on the arrangementpossibilities provided by machine 1 as well as on the available spacefor its installation.

In another realization, it could be possible to arrange for severallinks 11, for example one on each side of frames 2. Those links couldthus be spherically shaped, like a swivel, rather than beingcylindrically shaped.

The detail of one base support 15 used for supporting the frames 2 isshown in FIG. 3. The support comprises a foot 16 having a threaded rod17 extending up and entering a tapping spared within the frame 2. Eachsupport 15 is thus adjustable in height and can be tightened at aselected height position using a nut 18. A graduated ruler is connected,if necessary, to each support 15 enabling an easier setting. Analternative could comprise mounting the foot 16 on a swivel, not shown,so that the swivel can also fit, as well as possible, the surfaceflatness conditions.

Referring to FIG. 2, the link 11 is preferably located in the verticalplane entering the support 15, and more precisely through thelongitudinal axis of the threaded rod 17. The load of link 11 is thusadvantageously directly transmitted on supports 15 which are verticallyarranged on each side of the upstream frame 2 a.

The device 10 of the present invention advantageously enables each frame2, except the first one, to be mounted on two supports 15, namely in itsdownstream part 20 b and on a link 11 in its upstream part 20 a. Onlythe first frame of FIG. 2 left side will be preferably mounted on foursupports 15, namely arranged at its angles.

The invention enables the leveling of the downstream frame, through thesetting of the supports 15 of its downstream part 20 b, when one has toposition that frame with respect to the previous upstream frame 2 a. Thelink 11 enables the downstream frame 2 b to be freely moved with onlyone degree of motion, i.e. for swivelling in a vertical plane around thelink 11 located in its upstream part 20 a. Any angular swivelling in ahorizontal plane is thus impossible because the cylinder 12 is fixedlyattached to bearings 13. Once the leveling is completed, one will haveto maintain the constant level by locking each of the upstream 2 a anddownstream 2 b frame positions. Locking of the frames 2 a and 2 b isachieved by means of a tension rod 21. The tension rod 21 crosses theupstream part 20 a of the downstream frame 2 b as well as the cylinder12 and is screwed into the downstream part 20 b of the upstream frame 2a. The complete tightening of the tension rod 21 will enable fixedlyattaching the two frames 2 a and 2 b and maintaining their previousleveling. An air level is the only additional tool to be used forachieving setting of the supports 15. It should thus be envisaged to addsuch a tool to the frames, i.e. relatively positioned.

Aligning and leveling the downstream frame 2 b is thus much easier.Indeed, to perform those operations, a reference line, materialized forexample by a tended wire, is not required. It is also not necessaryanymore to use either a compass or a comparator. Moreover, spacing bars,previously used for spacing two adjacent frames, are thus advantageouslyan accessory rendered useless for perfectly achieving a correctpositioning.

Lastly, a device 10 provided within a frame 2 is also advantageously notto be considered as an expansive installation regarding saving time atthe time of machine 1 installation.

Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It ispreferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by thespecific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

1. Device for positioning and assembling successive frames of a machineof a production line, for relatively positioning two adjacent ones ofthe frames including an upstream frame and a downstream frame, thedevice comprising at least one link connecting the upstream frame to thedownstream frame and the link supporting the upstream part of thedownstream frame.
 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the link isarranged on a bisectrix of a horizontal angle issued from thepositioning of the two adjacent frames.
 3. Device according to claim 2,wherein the link comprises a cylinder extending across a direction alongthe successive frames; and a respective bearing for the cylinder on eachof the adjacent frames and the cylinder being secured into the bearings.4. Device according to claim 2, wherein the link is spherically shaped.5. Device according claim 2, wherein the link is arranged in a verticalplane; and a base support, adjustable in height and fixedly attached tothe downstream part of the upstream frame and in which the verticalplane is located.
 6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the adjacentframes are positioned in a horizontal rectilinear arrangement.
 7. Deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the bearings are located at both ends ofthe cylinder.
 8. Device according to claim 1, further comprising atension rod crossing an upstream part of the downstream frame and thecylinder of the link.
 9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the rod isscrewed into a downstream part of the upstream frame, wherein the rodfirmly connects the frames.